Resurrected

By Anna Kolhede, SCU senior from Oakland, Calif.

The first home my immersion group worked at belonged to Veronica, a 30-year resident of the Seventh Ward. The inside of her home was a sea of damp and moldy chaos. As we moved everything out, now and then we came across something we thought could be salvaged, and we would bring it to her for inspection. Usually Veronica would say in a sweet, quiet voice, “Honey, I’m going to let that go…” We sensed Veronica’s desire to move on and start a new life. Still, you could see sadness and loss in her eyes. Veronica needed to tell her story, to talk…and we needed to listen. Despite the sad, almost desperate situation, our immersion group was fueled by the spirit, resilience, and faith of the residents that their homes and lives would be resurrected.